The didn't listen when he told them about Socceroos star Tommy Rogic, but player manager Andy Bernal says only the "dumb" A-league clubs will ignore him twice.

Bernal, who manages Rogic and has worked with David Beckham, named Canberra Olympic striker Stephen Domenici as the next star in the making.

Domenici was a teenage prodigy at the AIS, but after a Europe stint and two A-League trials came to nothing, the 25-year-old retreated to the NPL Capital Football where he's dominated for five seasons.

In the FFA Cup round of 32 Olympic face Sorrento FC in Perth on Wednesday night and Bernal says it's time for Domenici to shine on the national stage.

"With Rogic, I contacted every A-League club in Australia and nobody responded. It was around the time he won the Nike contract and they all said 'we're okay'," Bernal said.

"I believe Stephen is the best player in the country outside of the A-League and better than many in it, and would be a fantastic mature-age rookie aquisition for any of the clubs.

"This time the smart ones will get it and the dumb ones will continue to be dumb A-League clubs winning nothing."

Bernal suggested there's a complacent attitude amongst A-League managers who aren't willing to take risks on unknown talent.

"It just takes brave managers, and there's not many in the A-League right now, to give good young players who aren't already in the system an opportunity," Bernal said.

"They need to actually earn their money by taking on a kid or a mature-age rookie and develop them, that's what they're getting paid to do.

"But there's no relegation so everyone is content and happy thinking 'we'll be in the league again next year', no one is accountable, no one cares because if you finish last it doesn't matter.

"Go out and watch NPL and grab two or three boys and actually sit down and make a plan for them and turn them into players you can keep for a decade."

Domenici has admitted he lacked the mental and physical strength during his first crack at the professional ranks, but Bernal believes Canberra's league-leading goal scorer is now ready.

"At the the AIS he was one of the best kids in the country and Ned Zelic agreed. Ned took him to Germany and ended up at Vicenza in Italy," Bernal said.

"He had lot of potential but he got lost on the way, mentally and physically he wasn't ready for European football and when he came back and he got stuck in Canberra.

"He has a football brain and beautiful technique and great understanding of the game that wouldn't be out of place in the A-League.

"There's people playing EPL and in Spain and Italy who have been been plucked out of the lower leagues at 24 or 25, but in this country there seems to be a stigma attached to guys in the NPL which I don't understand."

Olympic made the FFA Cup semi-final last season without Domenici and Bernal says the talisman must star in this campaign to grab the attention of A-League clubs.

"It's opportunities like Wednesday in Perth which Stephen needs to make the most of and show A-League managers that he's a kid worth taking a risk on," Bernal said.

"While playing on the national stage he needs to show a club that he could come into their program and develop into an A-League first team player."